Brewed beverage appliance and method

ABSTRACT

A beverage assembly includes a housing having a liquid reservoir, an inlet portion formed in the housing, a beverage container configured to be removably accommodated within the inlet portion and having a fracturable seal and containing a beverage ingredient of a first size, a grinding mechanism positioned within the housing and in fluid communication with the inlet portion, and a piercing assembly positioned within the housing, wherein the piercing assembly selectively pierces the fracturable seal thereby causing said beverage ingredient to enter the grinding mechanism. The grinding mechanism selectively transforms the beverage ingredient from the first size to a second size, the second size being smaller than the first size. The beverage assembly further includes a brewing area disposed beneath the grinding assembly and configured to removably accommodate the beverage container after the beverage container has been pierced by the piercing assembly.

This application is a divisional application of, and claims priority to,U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/230,954, filed on Sep. 13, 2011,which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to brewed beverage appliances and, moreparticularly, to a brewed beverage appliance adapted to brew coffee froma pre-packaged, disposable container and filter combination.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various known coffee making appliances involve adding of coffee beans inone of various forms (i.e., ground or unground) to a container that ispart of a machine in which heated water is delivered to the containerand passes therethrough. The container typically includes a filteringmechanism so that heated water exiting the container is in the form ofbrewed coffee. Certain appliances require pre-ground coffee beans to beadded in the form of “grounds.” Other appliances are designed to acceptwhole coffee beans into a hopper or opening and include mechanisms thatgrind the beans into a ground form and then complete the brewingprocess. It is sometimes preferred to keep whole beans on hand formaking coffee so that the coffee may be ground immediately prior tobrewing, as this is believed to produce the freshest tasting coffeebeverage. Yet other appliances required use of pods or pre-packagedcoffee grounds in a serving-sized filter container to be inserted intothe appliance. In such instances, the pre-packaged pods or containersare limited to being filled with ground coffee. Certain pre-packagedcontainers require placement into a separate filter mechanism in theappliance, while others have built-in filtering mechanisms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a beverage makingappliance and related method that include the benefits of brewing coffeefrom whole beans that are ground immediately before brewing and that arecontained in a convenient, disposable, single-serving package.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention.

In an embodiment, a beverage assembly includes a housing having a liquidreservoir and an inlet portion formed in the housing. The assembly alsoincludes a beverage container configured to be removably accommodatedwithin the inlet portion. The beverage container has a fracturable sealand contains a beverage ingredient of a first size. A grinding mechanismis positioned within the housing and is in fluid communication with theinlet portion. A piercing assembly is positioned within the housing. Thepiercing assembly selectively pierces the fracturable seal therebycausing said beverage ingredient to enter the grinding mechanism and thegrinding mechanism selectively transforms the beverage ingredient fromthe first size to a second size, the second size being smaller than thefirst size. A brewing area is disposed beneath the grinding assembly andis configured to removably accommodate the beverage container after thebeverage container has been pierced by the piercing assembly. Liquidfrom the liquid reservoir is directed to the beverage container afterthe beverage ingredient of the second size has passed from the grindingmechanism into the beverage container such that the liquid exits anoutlet of the beverage container after passing through the beverageingredient of the second size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a whole coffee bean pre-packaged filtercup according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective top view of the whole coffee bean pre-packagedfilter cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective bottom view of the whole coffee beanpre-packaged filter cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the whole coffee bean pre-packaged filtercup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the whole coffee bean pre-packagedfilter cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the whole coffee bean pre-packagedfilter cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the whole coffee beanpre-packaged filter cup of FIG. 1 taken along line A-A of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a whole coffee bean pre-packaged filtercup according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective right side view of a coffee appliance accordingto the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective left side view of the coffee appliance of FIG.9.

FIG. 11 is a left side elevational view of the coffee appliance of FIG.9.

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9.

FIG. 13 is a right side elevational view of the coffee appliance of FIG.9.

FIG. 14 is a rear elevational view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9.

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9.

FIG. 16 is a bottom plan view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9illustrating a ready mode thereof.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9illustrating the loading of the whole coffee bean pre-packaged filtercup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9illustrating the whole coffee bean pre-packaged filter cup of FIG. 1 ina loading tray.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9 in aloaded state.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9 in abrew-ready state.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9 duringbrewing/operation.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9subsequent to brewing a cup of coffee.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9illustrating the removal of a spent pre-packaged filter cup subsequentto brewing.

FIG. 25A is a schematic view of the whole coffee bean pre-packagedfilter cup of FIG. 1 illustrating water flowing through during a brewingmode.

FIG. 25B is a bottom plan view of a shower head for distributing heatedwater to the whole coffee bean pre-packaged filter cup of FIG. 1 inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a first, side cross-sectional view of the coffee appliance ofFIG. 9 in a first mode.

FIG. 27 is a second, side cross-sectional view of the coffee applianceof FIG. 9 in a first mode.

FIG. 28 is a first, side cross-sectional view of the coffee appliance ofFIG. 9 shown in a second mode.

FIG. 29 is a second, side cross-sectional view of the coffee applianceof FIG. 9 shown in a second mode.

FIG. 30 is a detail schematic view of a grinding motor and grindingblade assembly of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9.

FIG. 31 a cross-sectional, schematic view of the coffee appliance ofFIG. 9 in a mode of operation.

FIG. 32 a cross-sectional, schematic view of the coffee appliance ofFIG. 9 in another mode of operation.

FIG. 33 a cross-sectional, schematic view of the coffee appliance ofFIG. 9 in another mode of operation.

FIG. 34 is an enlarged, detail view of a filter cup lifting mechanismand grinding motor of the coffee appliance of FIG. 9.

FIG. 35 is an enlarged, cross-sectional, schematic view of the coffeeappliance of FIG. 9 in a mode of operation.

FIG. 36 is an enlarged, cross-sectional, schematic view of the coffeeappliance of FIG. 9 in another mode of operation.

FIG. 37 is an enlarged, cross-sectional, schematic view of the coffeeappliance of FIG. 9 in a mode of operation.

FIG. 38 is a perspective view of a grinding blade assembly for use withthe coffee appliance of FIG. 9, in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 39 is a top plan view of the grinding blade assembly of FIG. 38

FIG. 40 is a left side elevational view of the grinding blade assemblyof FIG. 38.

FIG. 41 is a front elevational view of the grinding blade assembly ofFIG. 38.

FIG. 42 is a right side elevational view of the grinding blade assemblyof FIG. 38.

FIG. 43 is a side cross-sectional view of grinding blade assembly ofFIG. 38, taken along line A-A of FIG. 41.

FIG. 44 is a schematic view of a blade assembly and the whole coffeebean pre-packaged filter cup of FIG. 1 shown in a first position.

FIG. 45 is a schematic view of a blade assembly and the whole coffeebean pre-packaged filter cup of FIG. 1 shown in a second position.

FIG. 46 is a schematic view of a blade assembly and the whole coffeebean pre-packaged filter cup of FIG. 1 shown in a third position.

FIG. 47 is a schematic view of a blade assembly and the whole coffeebean pre-packaged filter cup of FIG. 1 shown in a fourth position.

FIG. 48 is an enlarged schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 1in a grinding mode.

FIG. 49 is a cross-sectional view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 1 in agrinding mode, taken along line B-B of FIG. 48.

FIG. 50 is an enlarged schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 1subsequent to grinding coffee beans.

FIG. 51 is an enlarged schematic view of the grinding blade of thecoffee appliance of FIG. 1 grinding a coffee bean according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 52 is a perspective front view of an alternative grinding bladeassembly for use with the coffee appliance of FIG. 9, in accordance withanother embodiment present invention.

FIG. 53 is a perspective rear view of the alternative grinding bladeassembly of FIG. 52.

FIG. 54 is a top plan view of the alternative grinding blade assembly ofFIG. 52.

FIG. 55 is a left side elevational view of the alternative grindingblade assembly of FIG. 52.

FIG. 56 is a front elevational view of the grinding blade assembly ofFIG. 52.

FIG. 57 is a right side elevational view of the grinding blade assemblyof FIG. 52.

FIG. 58 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the coffee appliance ofFIG. 9 illustrating a flow of water from a reservoir through thepre-packaged filter cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 59 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the coffee appliance ofFIG. 9 illustrating a cleaning mode.

FIG. 60 is a perspective view of a water reservoir of the coffeeappliance according to the present invention.

FIG. 61 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the coffee appliance ofFIG. 9

FIG. 62 is a perspective view of a tray for receiving the whole coffeebean pre-packaged filter cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 63 is a side, cross-sectional view of the tray of FIG. 62.

FIG. 64 is a bottom plan view of the tray of FIG. 62. view of a traycomponent of an appliance according to the present invention.

FIG. 65 is a perspective view of a coffee appliance having a slidabledrip tray according to the present invention.

FIG. 66 is a cross-sectional view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 65showing the slidable drip tray in an extended position.

FIG. 67 is a cross-sectional view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 65showing the slidable drip tray in a retracted position.

FIG. 68 is a schematic view of a coffee appliance according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 69 is a schematic view of a coffee appliance in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a grindingmotor in a first position.

FIG. 70 is a schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 69illustrating the grinding motor in a second position.

FIG. 71 is a schematic view of a coffee appliance in accordance withanother embodiment and in a first mode of operation.

FIG. 72 is a schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 71, in asecond mode of operation.

FIG. 73 is a schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 71, in athird mode of operation.

FIG. 74 is a schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 71, in afourth mode of operation.

FIG. 75 is a schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 71, in afifth mode of operation.

FIG. 76 is a schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 71, in asixth mode of operation.

FIG. 77 is a schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 71, in aseventh mode of operation.

FIG. 78 is a schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 71, in aneighth mode of operation.

FIG. 79 is a schematic view of the coffee appliance of FIG. 71, in aninth mode of operation.

FIG. 80 is a perspective view of a brewing cartridge of the coffeeappliance of FIG. 71.

FIG. 81 is a top plan view of the brewing cartridge of FIG. 80.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-7, a filter cup 10 for use with an applianceaccording to the present invention includes a cup 12, a paper/fabricfilter 14, a plastic screen 16 and a foil cover 18. The filter 14prevents coffee grounds and/or other sediment from exiting the cup 12during brewing but permits passage of liquid. The cover 18 may be formedfrom aluminum or other material known in the art, and is preferablyheat-sealed or otherwise releasably affixed to the top rim of the cup10. A plurality of whole coffee beans 20 are enclosed in the spacebetween the foil cover 18 and the plastic screen 16. While FIG. 1 showscoffee beans housed in the filter cup 10, other types of food andsubstances, such as tea and the like, may be used in similar fashion tothat described herein, without departing from the broader aspects of thepresent invention.

As further shown in FIG. 1, the cup 12 has an opening 22 at the topthereof, a circumferential sidewall 24 and a floor 26. As best shown inFIGS. 2-7, the floor 26 has a plurality of grooves or channels 28 thatdirect a flow of fluid to a circular depression or recess 30 having oneor more apertures 32. Importantly, the recess 30 is the lowest portionof the cup 10 such that brewed coffee collects in the recess 30 andexits the cup through the apertures 32, as discussed hereinafter. FIG. 7illustrates the cup 10 in an assembled state and containing coffee beans20. As shown therein, the paper filter 14 is positioned on the floor 26of the cup 12. The plastic screen 16 is positioned on top of the paperfilter 14 and protects the paper filter 14 from abrasion caused by agrinding blade and/or coffee grounds. Both the paper filter 14 and thescreen 16 are circular and sized to be closely received by thecircumferential sidewall 24 of the cup at the bottom thereof. As bestshown in FIG. 7, the screen 16 may be resilient and resistant to bendingsuch that the screen 16 provides a flat surface in the cup 12 on top ofwhich coffee bean 20 may rest. Importantly, the screen 16 prevents thecoffee beans 20 from falling to the floor 26 of the cup 12 (which may beout of reach of a grinding blade) to facilitate optimal grinding by thegrinding blade, as discussed in detail hereinafter. As discussed above,the foil cover 18 seals the filter 14, screen 16 and coffee beans 20inside the cup 12.

The cup 10 may be stored and transported in a separate sealed package orwrapper for additional freshness and protection, and the apertures 32 inthe floor 26 may be covered with, for example, an adhesive label (notshown). In the preferred embodiment, the filter cup 10 is apre-packaged, single-use, disposable component. Thus, it is sealed bythe foil cover 18 in an air-tight manner to preserve freshness andflavor and to protect the coffee beans 20 from moisture andcontamination. As discussed above, the filter cup 10 may be sealed bythe foil cover 18 and an adhesive label, or may be packaged in a wrapperwith or without the adhesive label. In an alternative embodiment, it iscontemplated that the filter cup 10 may instead be a re-usable cup thatis re-filled for each use. In an embodiment, the floor 26 of the cup maybe formed without apertures 32. In this embodiment, the floor of the cup26 may be pierced by a needle upon insertion into a coffee appliance toprovide an exit for the flow of brewed coffee.

Referring now to FIG. 8, an alternative construction of a filter cup 50is shown. As shown therein, the cup 50 is substantially similar in shapeand construction as the cup 10, however, a metal mesh filter 52 may beutilized in place of the paper/fabric filter 14 and the protectiveplastic screen 16. In this embodiment, the metal mesh filter 52 is fineenough such that it prevents coffee grounds from exiting the cup 10 andalso provides a level of abrasion resistance. While it is disclosed thatthe filter 34 may be formed from a metal mesh, other materialssubstantially resistant to abrasion from the grinding blade and/orcoffee grounds may also be utilized without departing from the broaderaspects of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 9-24, an appliance 100 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention is shown. The appliance 100 is intended to be usedin combination with the filter cup 10, disclosed above, in order to brewa coffee or other beverage. As shown therein, the appliance 100 isgenerally rectangular in shape and comprises a base 102 and a drip trayhousing 104 slidably receiving a drip tray 106 having a slotted orgrated top surface 108. The surface 108 of the tray 106 is adapted tohave a container, such as a coffee mug 109, placed upon it to receivebrewed coffee as it is produced by and emitted from the appliance 100.As will be readily appreciated, the slotted surface 108 permits liquidthat may be spilled from the cup 109 or that miss the cup 109 duringoperation to pass through the surface 108 and collect in the drip tray106, for easy cleanup.

A housing 110 is located above, and supported by, the base 102 andslidably receives a filter cup housing/tray 112 for securing andpositing the filter cup 10 during use. A handle 114 is pivotally mountedto the housing 110 for operation, as described below. As further shownin FIGS. 9 and 10, a water reservoir 116 is attached to, supported by,and otherwise forms a part of the housing 17. In an embodiment, thewater reservoir 116 may be removably or permanently mounted to thehousing 110. The housing 110 also includes a control panel 118 forcontrolling operational features of the appliance, as discussedhereinafter. As best shown in FIG. 9, the base 102 includes a recess onone side there for slidably receiving a discard tank 120 for receivingwater from a cleaning operation of the appliance 100 (described below)and discarded filter cups 10 after use. In an alternative embodiment,the tray 112 may be pivotally received by the housing 110 and movablebetween a first position in which the housing/tray 112 is receivedwithin the housing, and a second position in which the tray 112 ispivoted away from the housing and towards a user to facilitate theinstallation of a filter cup 10. In an embodiment, the tray 112 isremovable from the housing 110 for cleaning.

Operation of the appliance 100 will now be described with specificreference to FIGS. 17-24. First, the water reservoir 116 is filled withwater. A user then selects the desired coffee settings from the controlpanel 118. Settings may include selectable options such as coffeestrength and serving size, timer setting, automatic brew, etc. Thehandle 114 is then moved upwardly in the direction of arrow A, as shownin FIG. 17, in order to unlock the tray 112 from its seated and retainedposition within the housing 110. The tray 112 slides out from theappliance 100 in the direction of arrow B to the position shown in FIG.18, under force of a spring 154. In this position, the tray 112 is readyfor a filter cup 10 to be placed into the receiving bracket 124 in thetray 112.

After the cup 10 is inserted into the tray 112, the tray 112 is nowready to be pushed back into the appliance 100 in the direction of arrowC, as shown in FIG. 19. In particular, the tray 112 is pushed manuallyback into the appliance 100 so that it is received by the housing 110 inlocked position, as shown in FIG. 20. The handle 114 is then lowered inthe direction of arrow D in order to automatically initiate the grindingand brewing processes.

Referring to FIG. 21, as noted above, the grinding process startsautomatically after the handle 114 is lowered. In the process, thecoffee beans 20 in the filter cup 10 are ground by a grinding blade 126that is received within the cup 10 so that the beans 20 are turned intocoffee grounds 128. After grinding is completed, heated water isdelivered into the cup 10 from a water outlet described hereinafter. Asrepresented by the arrow 130 in FIG. 22, coffee is emitted from thebottom of the tray 112, which has an opening to enable such emission,into the coffee mug 109 positioned beneath the tray 112.

After the brewing process is complete, the handle 114 is raised from theposition shown in FIG. 23 in the direction of arrow E to the positionshown in FIG. 24. Again, movement of the handle 114 to its upperposition unlocks the tray 112 so that it slides out of the housing 110appliance 100, permitting the user to manually remove the used filtercup 10 from the tray 112. The cup 110 may then be discarded into thediscard tank 120. The filled mug 109 of coffee may be removed from thedrip tray 106 before or after this step.

In an embodiment, while the tray 112 is in the out position, as shown inFIG. 24, a blade cleaning operation automatically begins. In the bladecleaning operation water is emitted from the water outlet 132. Becausethe cup 10 has been removed, the blade is surrounded by space therebyenabling the flowing water to rinse it clean. In an embodiment, theblade may rotate during application of water to facilitate cleaning.Since the tray 112 is in the out position, the water will not drain outof the bottom of the cup 10 and tray 112, as it does in the brewingmode. Instead, the water is diverted because it falls into the rear end134 of the tray 112 into a collection pan 136, as is shown in FIG. 59.The water exits from the collection pan 136 of the tray 112 via adiscard tube 138 and falls into the discard tank 120.

In an alternative embodiment, a cup containing a cleaning liquid such aswater may be utilized to clean the blade 166 either periodically orafter each use. In this embodiment, a cleaning cup is inserted into thereceptacle 124 and the appliance 100 is actuated by pulling the handle114 downward. The appliance 100 may then run a normal brewing cycle.Alternatively, a button on the control panel 118 may be depressed to runa cleaning cycle. The cleaning cycle may be specifically configured,e.g., water temperature, run time, blade rotation speed, to optimizeblade cleaning and sterilization. In alternative embodiments, thecleaning cup may contain a cleaning solution or a slurry of cleaningingredients. The cleaning ingredients may be liquid or dry and may takethe form of granules, powder, etc.

In yet another embodiment, a cleaning operation may including running abrewing cycle without actually inserting a filter cup 10. In thisembodiment, the handle 114 may be moved downward to begin the cycle suchthat heated water is passed over the stationary or rotating blade 166 toclean the blade. Alternatively, a button on the control panel 118 may bedepressed to initiate the cleaning cycle.

FIGS. 62 and 63 illustrate the tray 112 and the collection pan 136. FIG.64 illustrates the bottom view of the tray 112 and shows the openings 32of the cup 10 as viewed through an opening 140 in the bottom of the tray112 that permits brewed coffee to flow out.

FIG. 25A schematically illustrates how ground coffee 128, which isground from whole coffee beans 20 in a procedure described below, isinfused with heated water to produce coffee. The ground coffee 128 islocated in the cup 10 and heated water is introduced from above througha water outlet 132 as indicated by the arrow 142. The heated water flowsthrough the ground coffee 128 in the cup 10 and exits from the apertures32 in the bottom of the cup 10 as shown by arrow 144.

FIGS. 26 and 27 illustrate certain internal components of the appliance100. As shown therein, the water reservoir 116 is filled with water. Thetray 112 is withdrawn to permit placement of a cup 10 into a receivingbracket 124 in the tray 112, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. The tray 112is then pushed back into the appliance to the position shown in FIG. 20.The handle 113 is then moved downwardly, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22.Such movement of the handle 114 causes the cup 10 to be raised upwardlyfor grinding of the coffee beans 20 in the cup 10, as described below.The appliance 100 includes a heater 146 and pump 148 to heat water fromthe reservoir 116 and route it through a supply conduit to perform abrewing operation as described with reference to FIG. 25A. As shown inFIGS. 26-29, a grinder motor 150 is positioned in the housing 110 of theappliance 100 to carry out grinding of the coffee beans 20 in a mannerdescribed below. A hot water tube 152 carries heated water from theheater 146 to the water outlet 132 located above the tray 112.

As best shown in FIGS. 27 and 29, lifting mechanism 156 is activated bythe handle 114 in order to cause movement of the cup 10 between alowered position and a raised position. The mechanism 156 includes alinkage arm 158, a pin 160 operatively attached to the receiving bracket124 of the tray 112 and associated slot 162, and a plate 164 in whichthe slot 162 is located. In operation, upon moving the handle 114 in thedownwards direction, pin 160 follows the path of the slot 162 and causesthe cup 10 and the receiving bracket 124 to be lifted upwards into thegrinding blade. Guideposts 161 are received in bore holes 163 of thereceiving bracket to ensure proper orientation and alignment of the cup10 with the grinding blade. Lowering of the cup 10 follows the reverseprocess.

Referring to FIG. 30, the appliance 100 includes a grinding blade 166attached to and driven by a rotary output shaft 168 associated with thegrinder motor 150. When the handle 112 is moved to the lower position asshown in FIG. 28, the cup 10 is raised so that the blade 166 engages andpierces through the foil cover 18 and enters the cup 10 and comes intocontact with the coffee beans 20. The cup loading/raising mechanism 156,which is activated by the handle 114, moves the cup 10 between thisraised position for grinding, and a lowered position. The spring 154 isa user assist spring, which biases the tray 112 outwards from thehousing 110 when then handle 114 is raised, in order to insert a cup 10.

As shown in FIG. 31, movement of the handle 114 to the raised positionunlocks the tray 112 so it slides out under force of the spring 154 incooperation with a plate 165 (which serves as a anchoring object for thespring to work off of) in order to allow placement of a cup 10 into thereceiving bracket 124 of the tray 112. A user then places a cup 10 intothe tray 112 as shown in FIG. 32. The tray 112 must be manually pushedback into the closed position as shown in FIG. 33 until it locks inplace by the tray lock 170 shown in FIG. 34.

FIGS. 35-37 illustrate the piercing and grinding sequence in accordancewith the present invention. As shown in FIG. 35, the filter cup 10 israised upwardly toward the blade 166, in the direction of arrow F whenthe handle 114 is lowered. FIG. 36 illustrates the position of the cup10 when it is fully raised. In that position, a seal ring 172, such asan O-ring, engages a top rim of the cup 10 so that when the brewingprocess occurs the cup 10 may be pressurized. FIG. 37 illustrates thelowered position of the cup 10 after grinding and brewing occur and thehandle 114 is raised. Importantly, the seal ring 172 seals the top ofthe cup 10 so that the cup may be pressurized. In the preferredembodiment, the cup is pressurized in excess of 200 kilopascals (2 bars)during brewing, although other pressures may be employed withoutdeparting from the broader aspects of the present invention.

Various views of the grinding blade 166 for grinding the whole coffeebeans are shown in FIGS. 38-43. As shown therein, the blade 166 has aV-shaped configuration. Importantly, the blade 166 has insert cuttingedges 174 so that the foil cover 18 of the cup 10 can be pierced whenthe cup 10 is raised upon downwards movement of the handle 114. The topof the blade also includes upward facing extract cutting edges 176 forcutting through the foil cover 18 when the cup 10 is lowered away fromthe blade subsequent to brewing, upon upwards movement of the handle114. Each leg of the “V” is also formed with an opposed recess 178 andraised ridge 180 to facilitate grinding of the coffee beans 20, asdescribed hereinafter. The blade 166 also includes a collar 182 forconnection to the output shaft 168 of the grinding motor 150. In such anembodiment, the blade 166 may be removable for replacement and/or morethorough cleaning. In an alternative embodiment, the blade 166 isintegrally formed or otherwise fixedly secured to the output shaft 168of the motor 150. As will be readily appreciated, the slim profile ofthe blade 166 puts cuts a slot a minimal width in the foil cover 18 toprevent coffee grounds 128 from being thrown out of the cup 10 duringgrinding. In addition, the shape and configuration of the blade 166facilitates cleaning.

FIG. 44 illustrates the cup 10 being raised toward the blade 166 andFIG. 45 illustrates the blade 166, by way of the insert cutting edges174, piercing the foil cover 18 of the cup 10. In both FIGS. 44 and 45the coffee beans 20 in the cup 10 are not yet ground. After grinding,the beans 20 have been transformed into ground coffee 128. Brewingoccurs, as described above, and the cup 10 is then lowered as shown inFIGS. 46 and 47 such that the extract cutting edges 176 of the blade 166again pierce the foil cover 18, if necessary, to facilitate removal ofthe cup 10 from the blade 166.

Referring now to FIGS. 48-50, the actual grinding process isillustrated. Upon actuation of the grinding motor 150, the grindingblade 166 rotates at a high frequency sufficient to grind the coffeebeans 20 in the filter cup 20 to transform the coffee beans 20 fromwhole beans, as shown in FIG. 48, to grinds, as shown in FIG. 60. Inparticular, the blade 166 is rotated in a direction (see FIG. 49) thatcauses the ridge 180 on the blade 166 to strike/impact the coffee beans20 to cause them to split. Over time, numerous impacts from the bladeitself, and most importantly, by the ridges 180, gradually reduce thesize of the coffee beans to fine grounds sufficient for brewing. In anembodiment, the blade 166 may continue to rotate at a predeterminedfrequency during the brewing process, i.e., during the time during whichhot water is passed through the cup 12. The frequency of rotation duringbrewing may be the same as, or different from, the frequency utilized togrind the coffee beans 20. In other embodiments, the blade 166 may beutilized to stir drink ingredients during brewing, such as to facilitatedissolution of drink ingredients into the water passing through the cup10 (e.g., when utilizing iced tea drink ingredients in place of wholecoffee beans). As will be readily appreciated, stirring the drinkingredients/coffee beans within the cup 10 while brewing may produce abetter tasting beverage. In particular, stirring during brewing mayimprove the contact between the coffee grounds 128 and the hot water,which may improve coffee quality and/or concentration.

In an alternative embodiment, the filter cup 10 may be retracted fromthe grinding blade 166 prior to distributing heated water to the cup 10.As will be readily appreciated, this ensures that the grinding blade 166only touches the coffee when it is dry (i.e., when it grinds the coffeebeans 20 prior to brewing). Accordingly, grounds coffee is not assusceptible to sticking to the blade 166 as it would be if the blade 166and ground coffee 128 were present together in a wet environment and, assuch, keeps the blade substantially free of coffee grounds withouthaving to clean the blade.

FIGS. 52-57 illustrate an alternative configuration for a grinding blade184 that may be utilized with the appliance 100. As shown therein, theblade has a V-shaped configuration and has a piercing edge 186 forpiercing the foil cover 18 of the cup 10. The blade 184 also has twohorizontally extending flanges 188, 190 to facilitate grinding of thecoffee beans 20 and two upward edges 192, 194 for again cutting throughthe foil 18 when the cup 10 is lowered away from the blade 184. As withthe blade 166 of the preferred embodiment, the blade 184 may bereleasably attached to the output shaft 168 of the grinding motor 150,or it may be integrally formed or otherwise permanently affixed thereto.

The path of water used in the process of the present invention isillustrated in FIG. 58. First, the reservoir 116 is filled with water.In an embodiment, the reservoir 116 may be releasably received on thehousing 110 such that a user can remove the reservoir 116 to fill itwith water and then place it on the housing 110. As will be readilyappreciated, such a configuration may be easier than bring a watersource to the reservoir itself. The reservoir 116 may have a removablelid 194 as shown in FIG. 60 to facilitate filling with water. A wateroutlet 196, best shown in FIGS. 17-24, permits water to flow from thereservoir 116 under the force of gravity. The outlet 196 may be equippedwith a valve 198 of a type commonly known to those skilled in the art,wherein the valve my be electronically activated and controlled by meansof a conventional controller from an open position to a closed position,and vice versa. During brewing, water exits the reservoir 116 throughthe outlet 196 and travels through a first tube 200 until it reaches thepump 148. The pump 148 pumps the water through the heater 146 in orderto heat the water to a desired, predetermined temperature. The waterpasses from the heater 146 through the hot water supply tube 152 to thewater outlet 132.

In an embodiment, at the end of the brewing process, the flow of waterwill be shut off prior than the heater such that steam will be generatedto push or blow out excess liquid remaining in the cup 10. As will bereadily appreciated, this steam blast ensures that the last few drops ofcoffee do not remain in the cup 10 and prevents dripping.

As shown in FIG. 25B, in an embodiment, the water outlet 132 is a showerhead in the form of an annular tube or ring 208 having a plurality ofapertures 210 formed therein for distributing heated water. Heated wateremitted from the apertures 210 of the shower head 132 is used both forbrewing coffee and for rinsing the blade 166 in the cleaning operation.During brewing the heated water leaving the water outlet/shower head 132enters the cup 10 which, at this point in the process, contains groundcoffee 128. The water, now brewed coffee, exits the cup 10 through theapertures 32 in the floor 26 of the cup 10. As it exits the cup throughthe apertures 32, it travels down through an exit conduit in the tray112 before emitting through the tray exit 202. In an embodiment, thetray may include a flow softening member 204 directly below theapertures 32 of the filter cup 10. The flow softening member retards thedirect flow of brewed coffee into the coffee mug 109 so that the brewedcoffee doesn't gush out and splash a user or create a mess. Afterleaving the exit 202, the water, which has now become brewed coffee,falls into the coffee mug 109. The volume of liquid selected,corresponding to the serving size, is pre-selected using the controls118, and the pump 148 and water outlet 196 are accordingly controlled topermit flow of only the selected amount before shutting off flow.

FIGS. 65-67 illustrate an alternative configuration of the drip tray 106in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. As showntherein, the drip tray is moveable between a first position, as shown inFIG. 66, in which the tray 106 is positioned below the brewed coffeeexit 202, and a second position, as shown in FIG. 7, in which the driptray 106 is housed within the base 102 of the appliance 100. With thedrip tray 106 in the position shown in FIG. 67, taller cups/mugs 206 maybe accommodated.

FIG. 68 illustrates a coffee appliance 300 having an alternativeconfiguration in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention. As shown therein, instead of the cup 10 being installedvertically and the grinding blade 166, brew shower head 132 and motor150 being in a vertical position above the cup 10, these elements areoriented horizontally. In particular, as shown therein, the filter cup10 is installed in a horizontal orientation within the housing 110. Inaddition, the grinding motor 150, shower head 132 and blade 166 arepositioned to the side of the cup 10 in a horizontal position. In thisembodiment, the appliance 300 includes a conduit 302 in communicationwith the bottom of the cup 10 such that brewed coffee exits the cup andis routed through the conduit 302 to the outlet 202 for distributioninto a user's cup 109.

FIGS. 69 and 70 illustrate a coffee appliance 400 according to yetanother embodiment of the present invention. The coffee appliance 400 issimilar in configuration to that of the appliance 100 disclosed above,with a few notable differences. As shown therein, instead of the motor150, blade 166 and shower head 132 being stationary and the cup 10 beinglifted into engagement with the blade 166, in this embodiment, the brewshower head 132, motor 150 and blade 166 are configured to move towardsand away from a stationary cup 10. FIG. 69 illustrates a first positionof the motor 150, blade 166 and brew head 132 above the stationaryfilter cup 10. The motor 150, blade 166 and brew head 132 are moveablein the vertical direction to a second position, shown in FIG. 70, inwhich the blade is disposed within the cup 10. The vertical movement ofthe motor 150, blade 166 and shower head 132 may be effectuated byutilizing mechanical action or electrical actuators. The coffeeappliance 400 according to this embodiment may be characterized ashaving an active brew assembly (motor 150, grinding blade 166 and showerhead 132) and a passive filter cup 10, as opposed to an active filtercup 10 and passive brew assembly.

While the preferred embodiment contemplates the grinding and brewing ofcoffee from whole coffee beans, the present invention is not intended tobe limited in this regard. In particular, it is contemplated that thepresent invention apparatus and method are not limited to cupscontaining whole bean coffee, per se, and the invention may be used withcups containing ground coffee, partially ground coffee, tea leaves,ground tea, or drink mix ingredients. In addition, the applianceaccording to the embodiments of the present invention can make/brewbeverages from any ingredients contained within the filter cup, and isnot limited to brewing coffee from whole coffee beans.

FIGS. 71-79 illustrate a coffee appliance 500 in accordance with yetanother embodiment of the present invention. The coffee appliance 500 isgenerally similar to, and contains many of the same components as, thecoffee appliance 100, disclosed above, with a few notable differences.As with the coffee appliance 100, the coffee appliance 500 is intendedto be used in combination with the filter cup 10, disclosed above, inorder to brew a coffee or other beverage. Preferably, the filter cup 10contains whole coffee beans. As shown in FIG. 71, the coffee appliance500 is generally rectangular in shape and includes a base 502 and a driptray housing 504 slidably receiving a drip tray 506. As with the driptray 106, described above, the drip tray 506 may have a slotted orgrated top surface to permit liquid that may be spilled during operationto pass therethrough and collect in the drip tray 506, for easy cleanup.

A housing 508 is located above, and is supported by, the base 502, andslidably receives a brewing cartridge/tray 510. In an embodiment, asbest shown in FIGS. 80 and 81, the brewing cartridge 510 has a handle512 and a generally conical chamber 514 for accommodating the filter cup10 therein. The chamber 514 is open at the top thereof to permitinsertion of the filter cup 10, and has an aperture 516 at a bottomthereof for permitting brewed coffee or other brewed beverage to exitthe appliance 500 through the cartridge 510. Importantly, the cartridgealso has an inwardly extending flange 518 that is dimensioned to engagethe underside of the rim of the filter cup 10 such that the body 12 ofthe filter cup 10 is positioned within the chamber 514.

The brewing cartridge 510 is slidably received in the housing on a pairof spaced apart, parallel rails such that the top surface of the railsengage the conical sidewalls of the brewing cartridge 510. In anotherembodiment, the brewing cartridge 510 may also include an outwardlyextending flange such that the top surface of the rails engages theunderside of the brewing cartridge flange on opposing sides thereof tosupport the brewing cartridge 510. In yet another embodiment, each railmay include an inward facing, horizontal slot extending the length ofthe rails and dimensioned to slidably receive the outwardly extendingflange of the brewing cartridge 510 therein.

With further reference to FIG. 71, the coffee appliance 500 alsoincludes a water reservoir 520 that is attached to, supported by, and/orotherwise forms a part of the housing 508. In an embodiment, the waterreservoir 520 may be removable from the housing 508 to facilitate waterfilling. The appliance 500 further includes a boiler 522 having a heaterfor heating water from the reservoir 520 passing therethrough, and apump 524 for pumping water from the reservoir 520, through the boiler522, through a hot water supply conduit 526, and to a hot water outlet.In an embodiment, the pump 524 is a solenoid pump. The water outlet ispreferably in the form of a shower head 528 and is disposed above thefilter cup 10 in a brewing position, as described in detail below. Theboiler/heater 522 and pump 524 may be of the type commonly utilized inthe art. As with the shower head 132 of the coffee appliance 100, theshower head 528 is preferably annular in shape and has a plurality ofapertures on an underside thereof for distributing heated water to thefilter cup 10 in the brewing position within the housing 508. As will bereadily appreciated, the water flow path and components for deliveringheated water to the filter cup 10 are substantially similar to the flowpath and components of the coffee appliance 100.

As shown in FIGS. 71-79, the appliance 500 further includes a grinder530, powered by a grinder motor. The grinder 530 is disposed within thehousing 508 and positioned above the recess in the housing 508 for thebrewing cartridge 510. A cavity/inlet extends from the top surface ofthe housing 508 to the grinder and defines a hopper 532 for receiving atleast one drink ingredient, such as a plurality of whole coffee beans20. An outlet passageway 534 extends from the grinder 530 to the brewingcartridge recess in the housing 508. As shown therein, a shutter 536 ispositioned within the outlet passageway 534 adjacent the grinder 530 andis moveable between a closed state, in which the passageway 534 isobstructed by the shutter 536 to prohibit the passage of ground coffee538 therethrough, and an open state, in which the outlet passageway 534is not obstructed by the shutter 536 such that ground coffee 538 mayflow through the passageway 534 and into the filter cup 10 positioned inthe brewing cartridge 510, as discussed below. A shutter motor 540controls the shutter 536 between the first state and the second state.The shutter 536 may be a mechanical shutter, although other types ofshutters or valves may be utilized to selectively block the flow ofcoffee grounds 538 through the outlet passageway 534, without departingfrom the broader aspects of the present invention.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the grinder 530 is a flatburr grinder. In another embodiment of the present invention, thegrinder 530 may be a conical burr grinder. Importantly, the appliance500 also includes a piercing mechanism 542 for piercing the foil cover18 of the filter cup 10 so that the coffee beans 20 in the filter cup 10may be transferred to the hopper 532. In the preferred embodiment, thepiercing mechanism 542 is an annular or semi-annular cylinder ortruncated cone formed from metal or other rigid material that extendsupwards from the hopper 532 out of the housing 508. As shown in FIG. 71,the piercing mechanism 542 has a sharp upper edge and is complimentaryin shape and size to the interior sidewalls 24 of the filter cup 10 suchthat when the filter cup 10 is turned upside down and placed onto theappliance 500, the piercing mechanism 542 punctures the foil cover 18adjacent the sidewalls and enters the cup body 12 such that the piercingmechanism 542 is closely received by the sidewalls 24 interior of thecup 10. In the preferred embodiment, the piercing mechanism 542 is athin-walled, conical shaped tube.

The pump 524, boiler 522, grinder motor and shutter motor 540 are eachelectrically connected to a controller for controlling operationthereof. A control panel (not shown) on the housing 508 is electricallyconnected to the controller and provides an interface for a user tocontrol operation of the appliance 500, such as the number of cups to bebrewed, automatic brewing and timer features, etc.

Operation of the coffee appliance 500 will now be described withreference to FIGS. 71-79. As shown in FIGS. 71 and 72, first, a userselects a pre-packaged filter cup 10 containing a plurality of wholecoffee beans 20. The filter cup 10 is then turned upside down and urgedtowards the hopper 532 in the direction of arrow A, such that the upperedges of the piercing mechanism 542 pierce through the foil cover 18 ofthe cup 10 and the cup 10 is received on the complimentary-shapedpiercing mechanism 542. As the coffee beans 20 are no longer retainedinside the cup by the cover 18, gravity causes the coffee beans to exitthe cup 10 and the whole coffee beans 20 are received by the hopper 532of the grinder 530.

As shown in FIG. 73, the empty filter cup 10 is removed from the hopper532 and piercing mechanism 542. At this point, the cover 18 will havebeen either been removed from the filter cup 10 by the piercingmechanism 542, in which case a user can then dispose of the cover 18, orpartially removed and pressed against the inside of the filter cup 10.In any event, the filter cup 10 is now open at the top. The empty filtercup 10 is then placed into the brewing cartridge 510, and the brewingcartridge 510 is inserted into the appliance 500 below the outletpassageway 532 and shower head 528, in the manner described above, asshown in FIG. 74. In an embodiment, the appliance 500 may also include asensor in electrical communication with the controller. The sensor willdetect when the brewing cartridge 510 and or empty filter cup 10 isproperly received and aligned within the housing. Upon detection of thebrewing cartridge 510 and/or filter cup 10, the controller will actuatethe shutter motor 540, prompting the grinder shutter 536 toautomatically open, thereby opening the passageway 534 from the grinder530 to the filter cup 10.

Turning now to FIG. 75, once the shutter 536 is controlled to its openstate, the grinder 530 (and grinder motor) will automatically switch toan ON position upon signaling from the controller. The grinder 530 willgrind the whole coffee beans 20 in the hopper 532 to transform them intocoffee grounds 538. The coffee grounds 538 exit the grinder 530, passthrough the exit passageway 534, and collect in the filter cup 10. Inparticular, the coffee grounds 538 collect on top of the protectivescreen 16 and filter 14 in the filter cup 10. After the whole coffeebeans 20 are ground into coffee grounds 538 by the grinder 530 anddeposited in the filter cup 10, the shutter motor 540 causes the shutter536 to automatically close, thereby blocking the outlet passageway 534,as shown in FIG. 76. In an embodiment, the shutter 536 may automaticallyclose after a predetermined amount of time. Importantly, closure of theshutter 536 ensures that none of the coffee grounds 536 can backflow tothe grinder 530 during brewing.

As shown in FIG. 77, after closure of the shutter 536, water is pumpedfrom the water reservoir 520 through the boiler 522, which heats thewater to a predetermined temperature. The water then continues from theboiler 522, through the supply conduit 526 and to the wateroutlet/shower head 528. The hot water is then passed through the filtercup 10 and the coffee grounds 528 therein to produce brewed coffee. Thebrewed coffee exits the filter cup 10 through the apertures 32 in thefloor 26 thereof, exits the brewing cartridge 510 through the aperture516 in the bottom thereof, and collects in a coffee cup 544 positionedon the drip tray 506.

In an embodiment, the flow rate of hot water from the reservoir 520 tothe filter cup 10 is faster than the brewed coffee output rate from thefilter cup 10 to the coffee cup 544, which results in low-pressurebrewing. In an embodiment, the shutter 536 and an edge of the filter cup10 include a seal ring, such as a rubber O-ring, to prevent leakage.

Next, an optional post-brewing step includes purging the system to blowout any remaining water in the lines. In the purging step, near or atthe end of the brewing step, the pump 524 will stop prior to theheater(s) of the boiler 522 being switched off. This results in theexcess water remaining in the boiler 524 being converted to steam. Thesteam then travels through the supply conduit 526 and forces out the hotwater in the brewing subassembly (conduit 526, shower head 528, etc.)and filter cup 10. As will be readily appreciated, this ensures thatsubstantially all of the coffee in the cup 10 exits without substantialdripping. In addition, this also ensures that the cup 10 is dry and doesnot drip when it is removed for disposal.

As shown in FIGS. 78 and 79, the coffee cup 544 filled with brewedcoffee may then be removed from the appliance 500. The brewing cartridge510 may then be disengaged from the housing 508. Lastly, the filter cup10 containing used coffee grounds 538 may be discarded in a trashreceptacle 546. Optionally, the shower head 527 and components adjacentthe shower head may be cleaned between uses.

Importantly, the filter cup 10 is utilized to both hold an optimalvolume of whole coffee beans 20 prior to transfer into the hopper 532for grinding by the grinder 530, as well as to collect the ground coffee538 and to function as a filter during brewing, as discussed above.While the preferred embodiment contemplates the use of the coffeeappliance 500 with a filter cup 10 containing whole coffee beans 20, thepresent invention is not intended to be limited in this regard. Inparticular, the coffee appliance 500 may be utilized with a filter cup10 or other similar cup containing drink ingredients of any type, andpreferably drink ingredients that require grinding, chopping, cutting,etc.

Although this invention has been shown and described with respect to thedetailed embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of skill inthe art that various changes may be made and equivalents may besubstituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of theinvention. In addition, modifications may be made to adapt a particularsituation or material to the teachings of the invention withoutdeparting from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intendedthat the invention not be limited to the particular embodimentsdisclosed in the above detailed description, but that the invention willinclude all embodiments falling within the scope of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of brewing coffee, said method comprising the steps of: providing a beverage container having a filter adjacent to a floor of said container, a plurality of whole coffee beans within said container above said filter, and a fracturable cover covering a top of said container and sealing said plurality of whole coffee beans within said container; loading said beverage container into a hopper of a coffee appliance; piercing said fracturable cover of said beverage container to remove said whole coffee beans from said beverage container and to transfer said whole coffee beans into said hopper; removing said beverage container from said hopper and repositioning said beverage container in a brewing area within said appliance, said brewing area being configured to receive hot water; grinding said whole coffee beans to produce coffee grounds; transferring said coffee grounds to said beverage container positioned within said brewing area; and passing said hot water through said coffee grounds and through said filter within said beverage container to produce brewed coffee.
 2. The method of brewing coffee according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: controlling a shutter to a closed position to block a passageway from a grinding mechanism to said brewing area to prevent backflow during said infusing step.
 3. The method of brewing coffee according to claim 1, further comprising: controlling a shutter to an open position to enable said transfer of said coffee grounds to said brewing area.
 4. The method of brewing coffee according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: directing a flow of steam to said brewing area to purge said beverage container of liquid.
 5. A method of brewing coffee, said method comprising the steps of: providing a beverage container having a filter adjacent to a floor of said container, a plurality of whole coffee beans within said container above said filter, and a fracturable cover covering a top of said container and sealing said plurality of whole coffee beans within said container; loading said beverage container into a hopper of a coffee appliance; piercing said fracturable cover of said beverage container utilizing a piercing mechanism of said coffee appliance and transferring said coffee beans from said beverage container to said hopper; inverting said beverage container and repositioning said beverage container from said hopper to a brewing area of said appliance, said brewing area being configured to receive hot water; grinding said plurality of whole coffee beans to produce coffee grounds; transferring said coffee grounds to said beverage container in said brewing area; and passing said hot water through said coffee grounds and through said filter within said beverage container to produce brewed coffee. 